Explosion in north-west China kills seven and injures 94

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Cause of blast in Shaanxi province that damaged dozens of buildings, including local hospital, remains unknown

It is not known what caused the blast at the prefabricated house in the town of Xinmin, but previous blasts have been blamed on poorly stored chemicals or industrial explosives. Photograph: VCG/Getty Images

It is not known what caused the blast at the prefabricated house in the town of Xinmin, but previous blasts have been blamed on poorly stored chemicals or industrial explosives. Photograph: VCG/Getty Images

Reuters in Beijing

Published on Mon 24 Oct 2016 12.32 EDT

A powerful blast at a prefabricated house in north-west China has killed at least seven people and injured 94, state news agency Xinhua said.

The explosion, the cause of which remains unknown, occurred in the early afternoon on Monday in the town of Xinmin in Shaanxi province, damaging dozens of buildings including the local hospital, Xinhua said.

Four of the injured were in intensive care, it said.

Pictures carried by state media showed rescuers digging through the rubble of low-rise buildings.